Railway truck



0. .K. KJOLSETH RAILWAY TRUCK Fil ed Feb. 7. 1959 Inventor: Ole K.Pfjolseth,

il i Att car-neg.

Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES I 2,208,425 RAILWAY TRUCK Ole K.Kjolseth, Erie,

Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication February 7, 1939, Serial No. 255,080

12 Claims.

My invention relates to trucks for railway vehicles.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved railway truck andbolster supporting arrangement for such a truck.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved railway truckhaving a floating bolster and a lateral restraint device for such abolster.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent andmy invention will be better understood from the following descriptionreferring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a truck embodying myinvention, partly broken away to show the main bolster supportingarrangement; Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the truck shown in Fig..1, partly broken away to illustrate the relative arrangement of theside frames, the main bolster, and the floating bolster supportingarrangements; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view similar to Fig. 4 illustratinganother embodiment of my improved side bearing arrangement between thefloating bolster and the main bolster; and Fig. 6 is a partial sectionalview similar to Fig. 4 of another embodiment of my inventionillustrating another type of floating bolster lateral restraint deviceand side bearing.

R ferring to the drawing, I have shown a truck for railway vehicleshavinga pair of wheels 10 mounted on each of a pair of axles I larranged to support longitudinally extending side frames l2. These sideframes are arranged on each side of the truck as equalizers extendingbetween the axles, with each end of the side frame formed as a journalbox 13 arranged about an axle journal bearing on the axles ll.' A mainbolster l4 extends transversely between the two side frames l2 and isprovided at each end thereof with a longitudinally extending portion l5formed with downwardly extending arms l6 which project into openings l'lformed in the side frames l2 adjacent the journal boxes 13. Upwardlyextending bearings l8 are provided on each side of the openings H in theside frames adjacent the arms I6, and these bolster arms l6 are arrangedto engage the bearings Hi to transmit lateral forces between the mainbolster l4 and the side frames l2.

In railway trucks, it is necessary to transmit lateral, vertical, andlongitudinal forces from the I bolster to the truck side frames, andfrom thence to the truck axles. In order to support resilientlythebolster l4 and to transmit vertical forces between the bolster and theside frames, I provide a dual resilient support for the main bolster Hon the side frames l2. This resilient supporting arrangement includesspring seats l3 formed on each side of the middle of the side frames andarranged to support a plurality of resilient coil springs 20 whichengage spring seats 2| formed on the under side of the longitudinallyextending portions 85 at each end of the bolster l4. These provide arelatively low resistance resilient support for the bolster and allowfor a certain amount of longitudinal tilting of the main bolster it withrespect to the side frames I2 and the axles M. A relatively highresistance resilient support also is provided at each end of the mainbolster It by a semi-elliptic leaf spring'22 which is pivotallysuspended from the side frame'fl2 by a spring hanger 23 arranged at eachendthereof and pivotally secured to the side frame l2 by a pivot pin 24.A downwardly extending arm'25 is formed on the end of the bolster, l4adjacent the transverse center thereof and extends downwardly into anopening 26 formed in the. side frame I2. This arm engages a spring strap21 arranged about the central portion of the leaf spring 22. A limit pin28 is secured in openings formed in bosses 29 on each side of the sideframe l2 and extends through vertically extending slots 30 formed in thesides of the downwardly extending arm 25 to allow a predeterminedlimited amount of relative vertical movement between the bolster l4 andthe side frames l2 and to limit this movement to a safe operating value.

Tractive and other longitudinal forces are transmitted between the mainbolster l4 and the side frames through a longitudinally extending linkmember 3| arranged on each side of the truck and pivotally secured tothe bolster by a pivot pin 32 rotatably mounted in bosses 33 formed onthe bolster and pivotally secured at the other end thereof to the sideframe l2 by a pivot pin 34 rotatably mounted in ears 35 formed on theside frame. This pair of pivotally secured links 3| allows apredetermined amount of relative vertical movement between the bolsterl4 and the side frames l2 while providing arigid longitudinal connectionbetween these members. In order to provide a more easy riding truckconstruction, I provide a laterally movable floating bolster 36 having acenter bearing 31 adapted to support a complementary vehicle centerbearing 38 secured to a vehicle frame 33 for supporting the vehicle uponthe truck. The vehicle is provided with conventional side bearings whichare arranged to engage complementary side bearings 4| formed on thefloating bolster 36 to limit lateral swaying of the vehicle frame 39with respect to the floating bolster 36 and the truck frame. In orderresiliently to support the floating bolster 36 and to transmit verticalforces between this bolster and the main bolster I4, I provide aplurality of nested resilient coil springs 42 which engage spring seats43 formed on the main bolster l4 and spring seats 44 formed on the underside of the floating bolster 36. Tractive and other longitudinal forcesare transmitted between the floating bolster and the main bolsterthrough vertically extending bearings 45 formed on each side of thefloating bolster 36 which engage complementary vertically extendingbearings 46 formed on the inner sides of a recess," formed in the mainbolster l4, and in which the floating bolster 36 is arranged.

Lateral forces are transmitted between the floating bolster 36 and themain bolster I4 by vertically extending side bearings 48 formed on theends of the bolster 36 and adapted to engage complementary verticallyextending side bearings,

49 at the ends of the recess 41 on the main bolster l4. These bearings48 and 49 do not engage each other when the floating bolster is in itscentered position and under these conditions, there areno lateral forcesto be transmitted between the floating bolster and the main bolster. Inorder to provide for a slight amount of relative lateral movementbetween the floating bolster and the main bolster, a predeterminedamount of clearance is provided between these bearings, and in I orderto prevent violent shocks and jars when the floating bolster 36 moveslaterally and the bearings 48 and 48 come incontact, I provide a lateralrestraint device which is adapted to restrain lat eral movements of thefloating bolster and to provide a vertically movable pivotal centerabout which a floating bolster may'pivot or tilt. This restraint deviceincludes a pair of vertically extending bearings 58 secured to the mainbolster adjacent the longitudinal and transverse center thereof andmounted on laterally and downwardly extending bracket arms 5| formed onthe main bolster M. A cooperating rocker device is secured to thefloating bolster, and includes a rocker seat bearing plate 5|" mountedon the under side thereof and a downwardly extending rocker element 52provided with a pair of semi-cylindrical rocker bearings 53 arranged toengagethe rocker seats in the bearing plate 5i. provided with a roller54 rotatably supported on a pair of arms 55 by a pivot pin 56 andarranged to engage the two bearings 58 and to guide the rocker 52 abouta vertically movable pivotal center corresponding to the axis of thepivot pin 56. In order resiliently to bias the rocker 52 into engagementwith the rocker bearing plate 5!, I provide an upwardly extending rod51, one end of whichis pivotally secured by a pivot pin 58 to upwardlyextending ears 59 formed adjacent the center of the upper side of therocker 52, and bias the upper end of the rod 57 away from the rocker 52by a nest of coil springs 58'. These coil springs are arranged to beheld in compression between a spring seat 60 formedin the center bearing38 and a spring seat 6| which slidably engages the roll forces producingthe lateral movement or tilting of the floating bolster becomesufiiciently great due to relatively large tilting'or roll of thevehicle with respect to the trucks, these complementary side bearingsare adapted to come in The rocker 52 is contact and provide a fulcrumfor the roll or tilt of the floating bolster with the vehicle frame.This will compress the springs 59. and dampen or restrain such movementand transmit the lateral forces between the floating bolster and themain of vertical, lateral, and longitudinal'forces be-' tween theseelements of the truck.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the complementary side bearingsbetween the floating bolster 36 and the main bolster M. In thisarrangement, the main bolster is provided with a vertically extendingbearing 63 mounted on a supporting bracket 64 formed on the main bolsterl4 adjacent the longitudinal center thereof on the side of the recess41. The floating bolsteris provided with a complementary side bearingmember including a crank 65 which is pivotally supported by a pivot pin66 rotatably mounted in ears 61 formed on the end of the bolster. Aroller 68 is rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 69 supported on one arm ofthe crank 65, and this roller 68 is adapted to be resiliently biasedinto engagement with the bearing 63 by the other arm ll of the crank 65.This arm H is biased in a clockwise direction, as

extending push rod 12 which slidably extends through an opening formedin the bolster 36 and is formed with a spring seat 13 arranged inengagement with the upper end of one of the coil springs 42'whichsupport the floating bolster 36 on the main bolster 14. In this manner,I provide a more silent side bearing between the floating bolster andthe main bolster, and also provide an additional damping arrangement forcushioning relative lateral displacements between, the floating and mainbolsters.

Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of my invention wherein the sidebearings between the floating bolster and the main bolster include aroller 18 mounted on a pivot pin rotatably supported by ,a verticallyextending support and side bearing 16. The roller I4 is arranged inengagement with a bearing surface I'lmounted on a block '78 of resilientmaterial, such as resilient rubber, secured to a supporting bracket 19formed on the longitudinally extending portion 15 of the main bolster M.The floating bolster in this'arrangement is provided with a conventionalcenter hear. ing plate 88 arranged to support a center bearing 8|secured to a vehicle'frame 82'. In this arrangement, the lateralrestraint device comprises the vertically extending bearings 50supported on the brackets 5!, as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to4, inclusive, and the cooperating floating bolster member includes onlya downwardly extending pair of arms 82' which rotatably support a roller83 on a pivot pin 84 in engagement with the bearings 50. In this manner,the roller 83 provides a vertically movable pivotal center for thefloating bolster about the center line of the pivot pin 84, and relativelateral motion and tilting of the floating bolster 36 is cushioned bythe plurality of nested coil springs 42.

While I have illustrated and described various embodiments of myinvention, which. provide for the transmission of lateral, longitudinal,and

vertical forces between the floating bolster and 7'5- shown in Fig. 5,by engagement with a vertically the axles of a truck through the sideframes thereof modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in theart. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that my invention is notto be limited to the particular arrangements disclosed, and I intend inthe appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck and having downwardly extending arms adapted to engagesaid side frames for transmitting lateral forces between said bolsterand said side frames, means for resiliently supporting said bolster onsaid side frames, means including a floating bolster for supporting arailway vehicle on said truck, means for resiliently supporting saidfloating bolster on said first-mentioned bolster, a lateral restraintdevice for said floating bolster including vertically extending bearingssecured to said first-mentioned bolster adjacent the longitudinal andtransverse center thereof, and means on said floating bolster arrangedto engage said bearings for guiding said floating bolster about avertically movable pivotal center.

2. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck and having downwardly extending arms adapted to engagesaid side frames for transmitting lateral forces between said bolsterand said side frames, means for resiliently supporting said bolster onsaid side frames, means including a floating bolster for supporting arailway vehicle on said truck, means for resiliently supporting saidfloating bolster on said first-mentioned bolster, a lateral restraintdevice forsaid floating bolster including brackets on saidfirst-mentioned bolster having vertically extending bearings arrangedadjacent the longitudinal and transverse center of said first-mentionedbolster, and means including a downwardly extending element on saidfloating bolster provided with a roller arranged to engage said bearingsfor guiding said floating bolster about a vertically movable pivotalcenter.

3. A railway truck having'side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck, means for supporting said b'olster on said side frames,means including a floating bolster for supporting a railway vehicle onsaid truck, means for resiliently supporting said floating bolster onsaid firstmentioned bolster, a lateral restraint device for saidfloating bolster including vertically extending bearings secured to saidfirst-mentioned bolster adjacent the longitudinal and transverse centerthereof, rocker seats on said floating bolster, means including-adownwardly extending element on said floating bolster arranged to engagesaid bearings for guiding said floating bolster about a verticallymovable pivotal center, said downwardly extending element being providedwith a rocker arranged in engagement with said rocker seats, and meansresiliently biasing said rocker into engagement with said rocker seats.for restraining relative lateral movement between said first-mentionedbolster and said floating bolster.

4. A railway trucm having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck, means for supporting said bolster on said side frames,mean including a floating bolster for supporting a rail- 1 way'vehicleon said truck, means for resiliently support ng said floating bolster onsaid first-mentioned olster, a lateral restraint device for said 4floating bolster including vertically extending bearings secured to saidfirst-mentioned bolster adjacent the longitudinal and transverse centerthereof, rocker seats on said floating bolster, means including 'a'downwardly extending element on said floating bolster arranged to engagesaid bearings for guiding said floating bolster about a verticallymovable pivotal center, said downwardly extending element being providedwith a rocker, a link pivotally secured to said rocker, and resilientmeans engaging said link for biasingsaid rocker into engagement withsaid rocker seats and restraining relative lateral move= ment betweensaid first-mentioned bolster and said floating bolster.

5. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck and having downwardly extending arms adapted to, engagesaid side frames for transmitting lateral forces between said bolsterand said side frames, means for resiliently supporting said bolster onsaid side frames, means including a floating bolster for supporting arailway vehicle on said truck, means for resiliently supporting saidfloating bolster on said first-mentioned bolster, a lateral restraintdevice for said floating bolster including vertically extending bearingssecured to said first-mentioned bolster adjacent the longitudinal andtransverse center thereof, means on said floatin bolster arranged toengage said bearings for guiding said floating bolster about avertically mov able pivotal center, side bearings on said firstmentionedbolster, and means including complementary side hearings on saidfloating bolster having rollers arranged to engage said first-mentionedbolster side bearings for transmitting lateral forces therebetween.

6. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck and having downwardly extending arms adapted to engagesaid side frames for transmitting lateral forces between said bolsterand said side frames, means for resiliently supporting said bolster onsaid side frames, means including a floating bolster for supporting arailway vehicle on said truck, means for resiliently supporting saidfloating bolster on said first-mentioned bolster, means including alongitudinally extending member pivotally connected to saidfirst-mentioned bolster and to one of said side frames for transmittinglongitudinal forces therebetween, a lateral restraint device for saidfloating bolster including brackets on said first-mentioned bolsterhaving vertically extending bearings arranged adjacent the longitudinaland transverse center of said first-mentioned bolster, means including adownwardly extending element on said floating bolster provided with aroller arranged to engage said bearings for guiding said floatingbolster about a vertically movable pivotal center, side bearings on saidfirst-mentioned bolster, and means including complementary side bearingson said floating bolster arranged to engage said firstmentioned bolsterside bearings for transmitting lateral forces therebetween.

7. A railway truck having side frames, a' bolster extending transverselyof said truck, means for supporting said bolster on said side frames,means fiicludi'ng a floating bolster for supporting a railway vehicle onsaid truck, means for resiliently supporting said floating bolster onsaid first-mentioned bolster, side bearings on said first-mentionedbolster, side bearings on said floating bolster, each of said floatingbolster side bearings including a crank, means for pivotally supportingsaid crank on said floating bolster, a roller rotatably supported on onearm of said crank, said roller being arranged to engage saidfirst-mentioned bolster side bearings for transmitting lateral forcesbetween said first-mentioned bolster and said floating bolster, and theother arm of said crank being arranged to be biased by said floatingbolster resilient supporting means for biasing said roller intoengagement with said first-mentioned bolster side bearings.

8. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck, means for supporting said bolster on said side frames,means including a floating bolster for supporting a railway vehicle onsaid truck, means for resiliently supporting said floating bolster onsaid first-mentioned bolster, a lateral restraint device for said,

floating bolster including vertically extending bearings secured to saidfirst-mentioned bolster adjacent the longitudinal and transverse centerthereof, means on said floating bolster arranged to engage saidbearingsfor guiding said floating bolster about a vertically movable pivotalcenter,

side bearings on said first-mentioned bolster, means including sidebearings pivotally supported on said floating bolster having rollersarranged to engage said first-mentioned, bolster side bearings fortransmitting lateral forces between said floating bolster and saidfirst-mentioned bolster, said floating bolster side bearings beingarranged to engage said floating bolster resilient supporting means forbiasing said floating bolster side bearings into engagement with saidfirst-mentioned bolster side bearings.

9. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck and having,

ings secured to said first-mentioned bolster ad-' jacent thelongitudinal and transverse center thereof, means on said floatingbolster arranged to engage said bearings for guiding said floatingbolster about a vertically movable pivotal center, side bearing means onsaid first-mentioned bolster and said floating bolster adapted to en-'gage each other for resiliently transmitting lateral forcestherebetween.

10. A railway truck having side frames, 9. bolster extendingtransversely of said truck and having downwardly extending arms adapted.to engage said side frames for transmitting lateral forces between saidbolster and said side frames,

means including a floating bolsterfor supporting a railway vehicle onsaid truck, means for resiliently supporting said floating bolster onsaid first-mentioned bolster, meansincluding a longitudinally extendingmember pivotally connected to said first-mentioned bolster and to one ofsaid side frames for" transmitting longitudinal forces therebetween, alateral restraint device for said floating bolster including verticallyextending bearings secured to said first-mentioned bolster adjacent thelongitudinal and transverse center thereof, means on said floatingbolster arranged to engage said bearings for guiding said floatingbolster about a vertically movable pivotal center, side bearings on saidfirst-mentioned bolster, and means including complementary side bearingson said floating bolster arranged to engage said firstmentioned bolsterside bearings for transmitting lateral forces therebetween.

11. A railway truck having side frames, a bolster extending transverselyof said truck and having downwardly extending arms adapted to engagesaid side frames for transmitting lateral forces between said bolsterand said side frames, means including a floating bolster for supportinga railway vehicle on said truck, means for resiliently supporting saidfloating bolster on said first-mentioned bolster, means including alongitudinally extending member pivotally connected to saidfirst-mentioned bolster and to one of said side frames for transmittinglongitudinal forces therebetween, a lateral restraint device for saidfloating bolster including vertically extending bearings secured to saidfirst-mentioned bolster adjacent the longitudinal and transverse centerthereof, means on said floating bolster arranged to engage said bearingsfor guiding said floating bolster about a vertically movable pivotalcenter, side bearings on said first-mentioned bolster, side bearingmeans pivotally supported on said floating bolster having rollersarranged to engage said first-mentioned bolster side bearings fortransmitting lateral forces between said floating bolster and saidfirst-mentioned bolster, said floating bolster side bearing means beingarranged to engage said floating bolster resilient supporting means forbiasing said floating bolster side bearing means into engagement withsaid first-mentioned, bolster side bearings.

12. A railway truck having side frames, a

bolster extending transversely of said truck and -l having downwardlyextending arms adapted to engage said side frames for transmittinglateral forces between said bolster and said side frames, meansincluding a floating bolster for supporting a railway vehicle on saidtruck, means for resiliently supporting said floating bolster on saidfirst-mentioned bolster, means including a longitudinally extendingmember pivotally connected to said first-mentioned bolster and to one ofsaid side frames for transmitting longitudinal forces therebetween, alateral restraint device for said floating bolster including verticallyextending bearings-secured to said first-mentioned bolster adjacent thelongitudinal and transverse center thereof, means on said floatingbolster arranged to engage said bearings for guiding said floatingbolster about a vertically movable pivotal center, side bearings on saidfirst-mentioned bolster, side bearings on said floating bolster, each ofsaid floating bolster-side bearings including a crank, means forpivotally supporting said crank on said floating bolster, arollerrotatably supported onone arm of said crank, said roller beingarranged to engage one of said first-mentioned bolster side bearings fortransmitting lateral i forces between said first-mentioned bolster andsaid floating bolster, and the other arm of said crank being arranged toengage said floating bolster resilient supporting means for biasing saidroller into engagement with said first-mentioned bolster side bearing. g

, OLE KrKJOLSETH.

